Smith bills public for waitress

An article from the Sunday Star Times by Jonathan Marshall

ACC Minister Nick Smith - annual salary $240,000 - got taxpayers to foot a $600 bill to have a waitress attend a dinner party in Wellington.
The dinner for members of ACC's board was held at Smith's ministerial home. The bill from Rough Edges Catering, issued to Smith and his wife, detailed "private catering" - a three-course dinner served up by a waitress who worked a four-hour shift. The $607.50 bill - which covered nine people - was split between ACC and Smith's ministerial office.
Smith defended the expenditure, saying that while he was capable of cooking, his time was better used conversing with ACC's board. He personally paid for the wine consumed during the dinner party.
Details of the dinner were contained in a bundle of credit card statements from ACC's chief executive, Dr Jan White. In the 24-month period ending in June, White racked up $33,646 on the corporation's plastic, with thousands going on dinners at top Wellington and Auckland restaurants including Logan Brown, Capitol, Vivo Wine Bar, The Yacht Club and One Tree Grill.
Revelations of big spending within the corporation's top-floor office come at a time Smith himself has said spending at the agency is out of control. When told about some of White's biggest restaurant bills, he reiterated that he expected restraint to be exercised.
ACC issued a statement defending the dinners, saying the corporation has a policy of recognising good workers. Spokesman Laurie Edwards said ACC was "extremely conscious of delivering value for money" and "that is why in the last year we have managed to cut $35 million from our administration budget".
In December last year, White spent $13,553 on four dinners, in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin. Her reconciliation form said the meals were to acknowledge "achievers" within ACC. Dinners for staff leaving included a farewell for Gerard McGrevy at Vivo Wine Bar (costing $756), for Graeme Osbourne at Zibibbo Restaurant ($790) and for Ian Simpson in March at Logan Brown ($1095). ACC did not disclose the quantity of alcohol consumed at each meal and the corporation did not respond when asked for them.
Not all of White's dining experiences came at a high cost to taxpayers - in March last year she spent just $12.50 at Central Otago's Tin Goose cafe.

© 2010 Fairfax New Zealand Ltd
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Suicide danger in ACC delay: expert

An article from the Waikato Times by Maryanne Twentyman

A Waikato survivor of sexual abuse has been waiting seven months for ACC to determine whether he is eligible for counselling, a time frame which could have resulted in suicide, according to a Hamilton expert.
The man was recently told that his psychologist was now waiting for confirmation from ACC as to what should be written into his report, according to Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Waikato manager Mike Holloway.
"When the man contacted ACC to see what the hold-up was he was told his paperwork had been `misplaced' which isn't uncommon," Mr Holloway said.
The situation was last week inflamed when information was released about an independent ACC report that referred to "draining the swamp" in cutting back services.
The report, obtained under the the Official Information Act by Labour acting ACC spokesperson Maryan Street, said ACC had "gone too far towards customer focus" and needed to begin "tightening the gateway by reducing the level and costs of treatment provided".
"Perhaps the most disturbing and callous phrase used in the Morrison Low report was the need for ACC to `significantly cut back to essential and core services only – effectively draining the swamp'," Ms Street said.
She claimed that the report highlighted a need for ACC staff to adopt a "tough love" approach.
"The report made it clear that if staff did not turn down enough claim applications they would get the sack," Ms Street said.
But ACC chief executive Dr Jan White said that was "absolutely ridiculous and untrue.
Dr White said the phrase "draining the swamp" referred to ACC's corporate office, not clients, and was written by a consultant, not ACC.
The report and subsequent controls put in place by ACC have outraged Waikato ACC advocate Quentin Mines.
"If you were to add up the dollars that claimants take from ACC it's a tiny sum compared to where ACC does not pay out where it should," he said.
Hamilton man Bruce Gardiner, who fought ACC over compensation for emotional trauma following an incident in which a man was killed after running under the milk tanker he was driving, said the report did not surprise him.
"They (ACC) are rotten to the core and the money they save would be a drop in the bucket compared to the money they spend on lawyers to get rid of cases like mine," Mr Gardiner said.
"ACC refused to accept my situation. For me it was an accident and it cost me enormously trying to prove my point in court," Mr Gardiner said.
But Dr White said ACC was governed by legislation that determined who was covered and who was not.
"We adhere closely to that legislation and provide services to meet our responsibilities.
"Clients have access to a free and independent review process if required," she said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/3362909/Suicide-danger-in-ACC-delay-expert